1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the rapid loading and unloading of a bulk product, solid or liquid, from and into a plurality of barges and single large barges through a floating transfer vessel, with controlled movement of barges into, through, and out of the transfer vessel.
2. Prior Art
In the prior art, floating transfer vessels provided transfer of bulk product by transfer of the product from and into barges moored fore, aft and alongside, from and into vessels moored alongside the transfer vessel; and by the location of a limited number of barges within a dry dock type of hull. The prior art systems generally have not permited the rapid unloading and loading of a large number of barges in an environmentally protected system. Additionally, they do not provide for the complete controlled movement of the barges into and through and out of the transfer vessel. During loading and unloading of the barges, the prior art systems generally have not provide for the temporary storage and processing of the bulk product. They also generally involved complex mechanical and hydraulic system for drydocking the barges and for control of barges during loading and unloading.
Some prior art barge unloading systems disclosed in the patent literature are as follows:
______________________________________ Patentee(s) Pat. No. Issue Date ______________________________________ Van Kleunen 3,497,054 Feb. 24, l970 Robinson 4,003,329 Jan. 18, l977 Marsden 4,106,637 Aug. 15, l978 ______________________________________
The Van Kleunen '054 system shows a land-based unloader in which the barge is moved past the unloader by a plurality of barge maneuvering or haul winches.
The Robinson '329 system utilizes a series of longitudinally spaced, opposed, driven wheels which rotate about vertical axes to control and move a barge longitudinally through a loader or unloader.
The Marsden '637 patent discloses a floating vessel into which the barges are located and held in drydock-like fashion during the load transfer process.